Recap: #StopTheBans Coalition Repro Week of Action!
The #StopTheBans Coalition put together a successful “Repro Week of Action,” bringing Missourians together to fight back against political attacks on access to safe, legal abortion.
House Bill 126, and its Missouri Senate counterpart, Senate Bill 279, ban abortion as early as six weeks — which is before most women even know they are pregnant. Neither bill has an exception for rape or incest, which could jeopardize Missouri’s $7.2 billion in federal Medicaid funding.
The week kicked off in Kansas City with an open mic poetry slam on Monday night hosted by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood Advocates. Community members learned about the bills, wrote letters to lawmakers, and shared their own poetry. On Tuesday, Planned Parenthood Advocates joined with Southwest Missouri NOW, NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri and the ACLU of Missouri to screen a short film, When Abortions Were Illegal in America. Afterward, attendees wrote postcards to their elected officials asking them to #StopTheBans and protect access to safe, legal abortion.
On Thursday, 200 people rallied to #StopTheBans outside Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood, the only remaining abortion provider in Missouri. The ACLU of Missouri’s Daniela Velázquez emceed the event, which featured patients, doctors, advocates, and health center workers sharing their stories about the importance of supporting the right of all pregnant people to make decisions for themselves. Attendees ended the rally by calling Sen. Dave Schatz, the leader of the State Senate, and urging him to #StopTheBans.
The week wrapped up on Friday in Columbia with a Happy Hour Teach-In. State Reps. Kip Kendrick and Martha Stevens, both local Democrats, explained the bills and what they expect in the Capitol. Members of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Mizzou even took the stage, urging the crowd to contact lawmakers in Jefferson City to make their voices heard.
The #StopTheBans Coalition welcomes new members as we build toward a rally at the State Capitol on May 8th — mark your calendars now and plan to join us! RSVP for the rally and find more ways to take action at StopTheBansMO.org.
#MoLeg Update: Defunding = Discrimination
The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold hearings this week on two bills that aim to “defund” Planned Parenthood by blocking Missourians from vital preventive care, like birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment.
Let's be clear: “Defunding” is discrimination. “Defunding” singles out patients who rely on public health care programs like Medicaid and blocks them from getting preventive care at Planned Parenthood health centers. The House has sent the Senate a budget that has discriminatory “defunding” language in it. Tell your state lawmakers to protect all patients and oppose any measure that “defunds” Planned Parenthood!
Rally @ the Capitol on May 8th
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 8th and join us for a rally at the Capitol! Missourians from across the state will raise our voices together and tell lawmakers to #StopTheBans and protect safe, legal abortion.
Plan to meet us in the Capitol at 10:00 a.m. or join a carpool from Columbia, Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. RSVP today!
Support Planned Parenthood Advocates of Mizzou!
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Mizzou, MU’s PP student advocate group, is holding its annual Empowerment Fest this Saturday, April 20th at 7:00 p.m. at Café Berlin.
Proceeds support the students' advocacy and education work on campus. RSVP here to join in the fun!
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